Christmas, Hagane-style
by Le Confidant
Summary: Not your run-of-the-mill compilation of Christmas-themed drabbles set after the Baschool incident but before the Promised Day. Ratings now go from K to T.
1. Dinner for two

A/N: I know, I know. I really wanted to write a Christmas story. I have a busy schedule so drabbles it is! Let's see how many I can come up with before December 20th.

This is set after the Baschool incident but before the Promised Day.

Enjoy!

* * *

Pinako slowly bends in front of the electric outlet. She grabs the cord and plugs it in. She turns her head slightly to the right and sees how the Christmas tree suddenly comes to life. After all these years her mouth still curled upwards as she admires her impeccably adorned tree.

"Winry! Winry! Come over and see the tree!" She called out but only received Den's barking as an answer. She remembers that her grandaughter was doing some maintenance on the Brat over at Ft. Briggs. She feels slightly embarrassed due to the fact that her mind was starting to slip but quickly set those feelings aside. She was a Rockbell after all and Rockbell's don't go moping around, even for the simplest things. She was going to spend Christmas alone, big deal. The old woman looks out the window and sees Den poking her nose into the cold window. She cackles as she walks towards the front door.

"The hell I'm spending the Holidays alone! I have the perfect companion right here. Isn't that right Den?" She says as she rubs the dog's head with fervor. "Now let's prepare a nice Christmas dinner for two. How about it girl?"

Den started going around in circles and happily barking just as if she understood every word that Pinako just said. The old woman and her faithful dog entered the kitchen where a delicious concoction of herbs and spices quickly warmed up the lonely home.

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A/N: Why the need to finish before the 20th? Because it's the end of the world on the 21st! XD


	2. It's not all about Santa Claus

A/N: I've just realized this is my first K-rated fic. (n_n)

* * *

"So the people of Liore don't believe in Santa Claus?" Al says to Rose in complete disbelief. "I thought everybody knew about him, right?"

"Well, yes Al. We do know about St. Nick but it's not a Liore tradition to include him in our Christmas celebration."

"So children don't get presents?" The armored-teen added.

Everybody at that point could see that the topic was emotionally affecting the boy.

"They do, son," Hoenheim interjected, "Not on December the twenty-fifth, but on the Epiphany day."

"That's correct Mr. Hoho!" Said Rose. She was delighted that a foreigner knew about their traditions.

"Epiphany day? What's that?" Asked Winry, whose interest in the conversation just piqued.

"It's on January six and it marks the day that the Three Kings offered gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense to the baby Messiah who was just born."

Al and Winry were still kind of lost in translation when Yoki decided to add his two cents into the conversation by explaining to the teenagers that it was part of Letoist beliefs.

"So the Three Kings act like Santa Clause?" Al asked.

"Yes. And we also get to eat King Cake!" Replied Rose with a bit of dazzle in her eyes.

"Cake!" Cried the chimera in unison.

"That really sounds delicious!" The golden-haired man concurred with the chimera.

"Mm. It's a delicious and beautiful tradition indeed," said the brunette with a warm smile. "You see, the cake is made into a ring and we stick a little Messiah figurine into it before baking then we decorate it with candied fruit. We serve it on Epiphany day with hot chocolate and whoever has finds the baby Messiah in their cake share will make a celebration feast in his honor on Candlemas day."

"That sounds like a wonderful celebration!" The blonde teenager said as everyone in the group agreed with her words.

"I'm adding trying King Cake to my to-do list right now!" Al said as he scribbled on a journal but then he suddenly stopped writing.

"What's wrong, Al?" Winry asked as she touched Al's metal shoulder.

"What if we don't succeed in defeating Father? —Or what if I never get my body back?"

"We will succeed, son. —And you will return to your body… Just believe." Al's soul smiled upon hearing his father's comforting words.

"It will happen", Winry muttered. "Somehow you and Ed will make it all happen."

* * *

A/N: Letoism is like Catholicism in FMA world so I just went from there. Also I didn't want to go into details with the King Cake as I don't know the details of that tradition. For some odd reason Puerto Rico is one Hispanic place that don't do the King Cake but we get double gifts as we celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus and the Epiphany day with the Three Kings. Score! BTW we get more time off too. Double score!

Also, I wonder how many of you get to do double celebrations?


	3. An act of kindness

A/N: So my goal to keep this fic K-rated was a bust. Now the drabbles are from K to T.

;)

* * *

"Scar, I hear a baby crying. Can you hear it too?"

Scar stopped walking alongside Marcoh in order to listen to what the doctor was talking about. There was indeed a faint sound of a baby's cry that was carried by the chilly wind in that miserable town they were passing through.

"It's coming from that alley," said the ex-monk.

Both men headed into the narrow alley where they find the source of the crying. The was a crying baby among a group of homeless Ishvalans. Both men felt compassion for the group of people that were hiding from the elements as best as they could as they seek refuge inside cardboard boxes and other makeshift materials.

"Where do you hail from?" Scar asked the eldest man in the group.

"We come from the East fellow Ishvalan," answered the tired old man.

"How long have you all been in this godforsaken town?"

"Just a few days. We've tend to get kicked out of each city that we settle in. It seems that we make the Amestrians very uncomfortable with our presence."

Dr. Marcoh felt ashamed for his fellow country-men. Not even during Christmas, a time that's supposed to be for giving and sharing, could they put their differences aside to help a fellow human being. The doctor heard coughing among the group of Ishvalans. "I can help alleviate the symptoms." He said to the old man, who seemed to be the leader of the group.

The Ishvalan man looked at him from head to toe, trying to not to stare too much at his deformed face. He could see a mixture of selflessness and remorse in the middle-aged Amestrian as if the man needed to atone for something he honestly didn't want to know. "You a doctor?" He finally asked.

"He's a very good one." Scar interjected as he needed to convince the old man that the foreigner was to be trusted.

The elder looked at the mismatched couple, wondering what circumstances have brought them together. Ultimately he concluded that the was no harm for the Amestrian to checkup on the sick in his group. Marcoh's eyes lighted up when he was granted permission by the Ishvalan leader.

As Dr. Marcoh set himself to work, Scar took that opportunity to tell the old man that there was a huge Ishvalan slum near Asbec.

"How far away is this place?"

"About two days walk." The ex-monk answered.

The old man looked down at the cold asphalt and sighed.

"What's wrong old man?"

"We don't have enough food for the whole group to make it to the slum."

Scar's brows knitted together for just a moment. He took his backpack off and picked out several tin cans that contained military-grade rations which he bought in the slums before heading with Marcoh to Liore. The rations would be able to sustain the group until they reach Asbec.

The Ishvalan leader looked at his fellow brother with utter disbelief since such an act of kindness was something that they seldom received. "Are you ok with this?"

"We'll manage," replied the scarred man.

The elder took the cans without hesitation and distributed them among the group, telling them that they were going to move out as morning breaks in.

Marcoh and Scar were ready to leave when the Ishvalan leader stopped them.

"Thank you for both for your act of kindness. May Ishvala guide your way." He said to the odd couple with reverence.

**oo-OOO-oo**

The old man called out on Scar as they were walking away. Both men stopped and turned around to see what the old man wanted.

"You never said your name, scarred man."

"I don't have a name," Scar answered.

"Then I'll call you 'Karim'— Because that's what you are."

Scar's eyes widened as he absorbed the old man's words. He turned around and quickly sped away from the Ishvalan group.

"What was all that about?" Dr. Marcoh asked Scar when he finally was able to catch up to him. He could see traces of what were dried tears at the corners of the ex-monk's eyes.

"I don't deserve to be called by that name," Scar said.

"—but what does that name mean?"

If Marcoh would have asked that same question months ago he would have answered it with a hard punch to his face, but he was now fond of this Amestrian man. "It means 'kind and generous'."

Dr. Marcoh cackled, making the Ishvalan a bit upset. "He's right you know. You are a good man, Scar. You just lost your way."

"As you lost yours," replied Scar with a smile.

"Now let's head to Liore."

Both men continued their walk in silence.

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A/N: I strongly believe that Christmas should also be a time for selfless giving. I donate clothes, food and toys to charities. What do you do for others this time of the year?


	4. A picture is worth a thousand words

A/N: This is a tad touchy drabble.

Thanks jaclynkaileigh and BuggyNess for your reviews! They inspire me to keep the Christmas elves that I have in captivity motivated to finish for me as many stories as they can. XD

Dear guest you are correct! Yes, I'm trying to include many of the characters in the drabbles and yes, I want the reader to get the different sides and insights about these characters from the pause that happened before the Promised Day.

* * *

Elysia was prancing around the living room while mumbling some Christmas songs. She was so ecstatic as she and her mom had just finished decorating their Christmas tree. She was still so elated that she wanted to tell her mom how happy she was about their tree. The little girl also wanted to ask her mom to help her write her letter to Dear Santa. Elysia could hear faint sobbing as she approached the dining room. From the threshold of the dining room area she could see her mom wiping tears away with her beautiful handkerchief.

"Oh Maes—" Gracia said between sobs as she caressed an image of her deceased husband that appeared in one of the many photo albums that cluttered the dining table.

"Mama? Why are you crying?" Elysia asked, not understanding why her mom would cry when looking at one of her dad's pictures.

"Oh sweetie," the widow said, a bit startled by the sudden intrusion, "I was thinking about last Christmas. That's all."

Elysia looked at the pictures that her mom was just looking at. The one that stood out was of her dad dressed up as Rudolph the Reindeer. She remembered how her dad galloped on all fours around the house with her mounted on his back. It had been one of the happiest moments she had spent with her dad before he had to go away for good.

Gracia could see that her daughter was getting upset. "It's getting late and you need to go to sleep little lady. Let's go." She took Elysia by the hand and walked her to her room.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Gracia could hear some ruffling coming from the living room as the morning came in. She quickly got up to see what all the fuss was about.

As she walked towards the living room she saw that all her photo albums had been raided. Pictures were missing from their pages and some pages were bent and disheveled. She panicked. The widow rushed into the living room and saw that Elysia was hanging the photos she took out from the albums and was placing them all around the lower part of the Christmas tree. "What are you doing sweetie?" She asked out of pure curiosity.

"Mom! You see? Dad is here and will spend Christmas with us… So you don't have to get sad ever again." The little girl replied with joy.

Gracia looked at the pictures that her daughter had picked out of the album. All where from past Christmases which showed Maes, being Maes. She could feel the tears coming out of the corner of her eyes. "You're right baby girl. Daddy is here, spending Christmas with us." She said as she wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her long camisole. "Let me help you put a few of them on the top half of the tree."

Both mom and daughter sat in front of the tree and started pointing at pictures while chatting about what Maes did —or didn't do— while they sipped on their hot chocolate. Elysia was right, Maes would never miss a Christmas at the Hughes's home.

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A/N: I'm not writing sad drabbles just because! A lot of fudged up stuff happened to all characters in the manga. I will write funny ones. Promise!


	5. The keepsake

A/N: Thank you jaclynkaileigh for taking a look at this drabble. ;)

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Ran Fan always felt a bit odd wearing Amestrian clothing but right now it was necessary that she drew as little attention as possible since she was a foreigner and on top of that she had just recently clashed with the almighty ruler of that country. The phantom limb pain was not helping her either but she had to go out before she ended dropping a random bomb —or two— inside Dominic's automail shop. She couldn't leave Rush Valley yet in search for the young lord's whereabouts and that was grinding thin her patience. Dominic said that she was to stay put at least until he didn't see anymore heaving bleeding coming out from her automail port. She knew that even though she was "allowed" to stroll around the busy streets of the valley, she had Paninya constantly watching her every move. Ran Fan sighed out of exasperation about the whole situation but alas in no time she'll be able to leave and finally reunite with "her lord".

Ran Fan finally stopped in front of an antique's shop. It was quite strange to see that type of shop in a town that was more than obsessed with automail engineering, so she decided to enter this oddity of a shop.

The young Xinguese woman felt as if she had just stepped into another world as she was suddenly enveloped in a place full of red, green and gold; colors that belonged to all the ornaments, lighting and any other Christmas-themed trinkets that adorned every square inch of that store. Ran Fan smiled as this would have been something that the Young Lord would have fawned over. She would never understand his obsession with Western traditions.

"Good afternoon young lady. How can I help you?" Said a frail old woman who was standing next to a life size wooden Santa Clause figure.

"Hello M'am. I was just window shopping."

"Your eyes say otherwise," said the old woman with a candid smile.

Was this woman able to read a person's chi? Ran Fan smiled as she discarded the idea. "Like I said, I'm just looking around." She looked at some paintings then headed for the door.

"It's a boy, isn't it?"

Ran Fan stopped.

"You were looking something for your boyfriend." The old store owner said as she walked towards Ran Fan.

The girl's eyes widened. Who was this woman? "He's not my boyfriend," she admitted.

"—but you love him. Don't you?"

"Who are you?" Ran Fan said, uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"I'm just an old woman who has known what true love is," replied the frail woman with a smile.

"You don't have what I'm looking for. Good bye." The girl turned around and was stopped by the old woman's hand as she turned the knob on the door.

"I do have what you're looking for, young lady." The old woman said as she dangled a beautiful golden locket in front of Lan Fan's eyes.

"He's a forbidden love isn't he?" The old woman put the locket in her flesh hand. "—but with this gift he will able to always carry your love for him very close to his heart," she added.

Ran Fan was astonished. "I— I don't have the money for it."

"True love is priceless my dear." She closed Ran Fan's hand. "It's yours now. Merry Christmas."

Ran Fan nodded then turned around and quickly left that eerie place.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Ran Fan headed into town early in the morning. In the midst of the odd circumstances that she experienced the day before, she completely forgot to properly thank the old woman for her kindness.

She was greeted by a middle-aged man when she entered the antique's shop. Ran Fan looked around the shop before asking the clerk for the old woman whereabouts. The man paled. He pointed to an old picture frame that was hanged on the wall behind the cash register. "You had an encounter with Rosalinda?" Ran Fan nodded.

The man noticed the confusion in the girl's eyes and gave her a rueful smile. "Miss, Rosalinda was the owner of this shop decades ago… but her spirit becomes more active as Christmas approaches."

Ran Fan was taken aback by the news. How didn't she noticed before the "instability" in the old woman's chi?

"She talked to you, didn't she?" The store clerk said, unfazed.

"Yes. She also gave me a golden locket."

The man's eyes widened. "I can't believe it," he mumbled. "Is that the locket she gave you?" He said to the young Xinguese girl as he pointed at the locket that Rosalinda wore around her neck.

"Yes—"

"Story has it that the locket possessed a lock of hair from the man that she loved— A powerful man that due to his aristocratic lineage couldn't marry a commoner like her. Before parting ways, the noble man gave her that locket on a Christmas Eve."

Ran Fan's eyes welled up. "—Forbidden love."

"It's sad indeed… but make no mistake, Rosalinda had a fulfilling life because she knew that no matter the circumstances, she was truly loved."

"Thanks—"

The young Xinguese woman left the store as fast as she could.

**oo-OOO-oo**

Ran Fan closed the door to her guest room. She opened a small box where her most personal belongings reside and took out the locket out. She observed the mystifying object in her hand and smiled. "Thank you Rosalinda and Merry Christmas to you too."

* * *

A/N: It's bittersweet, I know. Also it's weird. I blame using an antique shop for inspiration as I find those places creepy. There's really no happy ending for Ling and Ran Fan. Customs and traditions can be such a hindrance for true love :(

Working on what's probably going to be the last two drabbles. My time was cut shorter than expected. I might pick this up next year and finish the other drabbles I had in 'll see. Thank you for reading! Special thanks for all who comment here!


	6. A time for sharing

A/N 1: This comment was left by **Kin no Ryu** for chapter 3 of this story. I wrote on my author's note for that chapter: what did you do for others during Christmas time (and for other times of the year). She left what I'm posting (bumping) here:

_"I bought a flock of chicks for the Heifer Project, which is a really great program, and it only cost me $20 (American)!_  
_They provide livestock to less fortunate people who can benefit from the animals. A lot of times the program works in places like rural Mexico and undeveloped countries, though there are recipiants in the United States, too._  
_The Heifer Project also provides education on how to care for the animal(s). If is a female animal given, then they make sure there is a male in the area that they can mate her with. Then the recipiant has to give the first female offspring to another local family in need. That way, the whole community benefits from it._  
_The Heifer Project provides all kinds of animals: rabbits, chickens, cattle, bees, water buffalo, llamas, and they even provide fruit trees for orchards._  
_I know they talk a lot about unemployment rates soaring and welfare programs having record numbers of recipiants in the U. S., and how poverty is getting to be such a problem. But even homeless people living on the streets of New York City are better off than most people in the world. At least they have the oportunity to go to a homeless shelter, get a warm meal, and have a place to sleep for the night. Many people across the world live in communities where no one knows when their next meal will be. It shouldn't be like that."_

_"THIS PART IS FOR ALL WHO READ THIS: Instead of throwing away left over food, try buying or preparing less to begin with. Only prepare what you're going to eat, and if there are leftovers, save them for later whenever possible! Finish those before preparing something new. If we can cut down on how much food gets wasted, everything saved can feed someone else!"_

**All I have to say is thank you for sharing.** I didn't know about that project. I did go to their website and it looks promising. It is a great idea to give a little bit of hope to those who need it regardless of the country they're from. **God bless you Kin no Ryu!**

A/N 2: I had to do a Mei drabble, even though she's not my favorite character she works well with the character I paired her with. FYI This is not a romance drabble.

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"I wonder what Alphonse is doing right at this moment." Mei muttered as she walked down the street. She stopped in front of a bakery and through the huge window pane she saw rows of ginger bread men, shortbread cookies shaped like stars or pine trees and picturesque fruit cakes. "Oh my! How lovely… I wonder if Alphonse loves these marvelous treats— But first I need to learn how to make them because once he gets his body back I'm going to bake tons of them and—"

"WILL YOU GIVE IT A REST? Alphonse this, Alphonse that. It makes me want to puke!"

Mei looked down at the small hideous green creature that was encased in the jar. She had been so immersed in her favorite topic that she had completely forgotten about Envy. "Well sorry to hear that, homunculus, but it's none of my concern that you don't like what I have to say about Alphonse."

The parasite's evil eyes squinted as he went through his long list of hurtful things to say. Bingo! He grinned. "I guess you're right… It's just… Have you considered that he might not make it? That he might stay like that forever— What if his goodie-two-shoes soul and his trash-can-of-a-body get 'unbound'? Who would you then bake cookies for?"

The poor Xinguese girl grimaced at the caustic comment. Some tears peered at the corner of her eyes but she stopped them from running down their cheeks. She did not want to give the homunculus the pleasure of feasting on her sorrow. She stared at the frail form within the glass. Such a sad creature indeed— Then it hit her. It was true that homunculi were artificial humans but they were still humans after all, humans with chi, and this homunculus' chi was the saddest of them all. "You're lonely—"

"What?" Envy said, not understanding why the pip-squeak was suddenly talking in such a cryptic manner.

"Hold on for just a second." Mei set the jar down on the sidewalk and signaled Xiao Mei to guard the jar as if her life depended on it. The girl entered the bakery and bought three cookies. When she came out, she grabbed the jar and headed to a bench in the nearby park.

"Here Xiao Mei." She handed a tree shaped cookie to her dearest companion. She grabbed a star-shaped cookie and looked at Envy. She quickly opened the lid and dropped the cookie inside the jar, almost hitting the homunculus with it.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

"Merry Christmas, Envy," Mei said as she gave him a genuine smile.

Envy was flabbergasted. Why was Bean Girl doing that for him?

"—because you looked liked you needed one… and Christmas is the time for sharing," the girl said with a toothy grin.

The parasite's eyes widened and his violet pupils flickered. "I don't need your kindness, girl! I don't need your charity AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THIS STUPID COOKIE!"

"You don't have to pretend, Envy. Your chi betrays your words." She said as she took a bite out of her shortbread cookie.

The homunculus was furious. How can such a stupid girl read him so easily? —And what the heck is a chi! He growled. He moved around his container as he whacked the cookie mercilessly with his tail until it broke in two. All that agitation made his frail body hungry. He cursed a word or two then ate the damned cookie and to his surprise it was delicious. He smiled.

"You're welcome!" Said the Xinguese princess.

Envy snarled and smacked himself in the head. He let that lowly human see him smile, but, something deep inside of him told him it was ok to smile even if it was just once in his life. He looked up at the girl who was now chatting with a person, asking for directions on how to get to the next town. He took the opportunity to do another thing he had never done in his life. "Merry Christmas, you stupid shrimp."

Mei's lips inconspicuously curled up. Poor homunculus, his chi really did betray him.

* * *

A/N: The poor little fella! I figured that the other person who would have undone him was Mei. Dunno why but that's how I feel about it.

Oh one more thing. Apparently Envy likes chocolate. I read this somewhere online but can't remember where. That's why he ate the cookie as he likes sweets. Ironic...


	7. Keeping up with tradition

A/N: I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"You're late Fuery!" Colonel Roy Mustang said with a stern voice to the Sergeant-Major who was just escorted into the room.

"Um—," Fuery hesitated as his tongue was still all twisted from the strong impression, "I— I just couldn't believe that we all were going to meet in a place like this."

Roy raised an eyebrow, "So you don't approve of this place?"

"Um—" Fuery was all red now.

"That's enough, sir," Riza said with her usual stern voice.

Roy pouted then cleared his throat. "Very well. Now that we're here let's get back to business. You all remember why I summoned you here?"

"Because you want us to see you flirt with the girls that are upstairs?" Breda answered with a lecherous tone attached to his words.

"THIS will be our permanent rendezvous point until I say otherwise. We can't be seen together no matter what," Roy answered looking directly at his two ex-subordinates who had just recently gone AWOL.

"Heh. No problem! I can stay in here indefinitely, sir," Breda said with a hearty chuckle.

"I bet you would, but I don't want you to scare Madame's girls away with your, how should I put it? —Graceful charm."

"Hey! I'm not Havoc!" The red-head cried out as he sounded truly offended.

"Enough," said the First-Lieutenant while shifting her eyes between the Colonel and the Second-Lieutenant.

Roy send an irked look her way. She really knew how to ruin his fun. "Anyway, I see you all brought what was requested of you. Now let's begin— Fuery!"

The young man stood up and went to Roy and gave him a golden trimmed bag. Riza got up and gave Breda a neatly wrapped box that had a red bow on the top. The chubby man smiled as he got up and headed towards the Colonel. He gave him a parcel package, "It's from Havoc," then went back to his seat. Roy grabbed the huge box and the small box that he had set next to him. He stood up and walked towards Fuery. He gave him the small box then did a one-eighty and gave the beautifully wrapped box to his ex-First-Lieutenant, who was trying to tame the blush that was quickly creeping on her cheeks.

Mustang sat back and looked at his ex-subordinates. "So, who will open their Christmas present first?"

"Why don't you go ahead sir?" Breda said, "You have two gifts and besides Havoc had a fit when I told him that you both were each other's Secret Santa. So I'm dying to know what he got you."

"So, did he like what I got for him?"

The Second-Lieutenant cackled. "He didn't like it, he loved it!"

"What did the Colonel sent him?" Fuery asked with complete curiosity.

"A one-year subscription to 'Jugs' magazine," Breda answered with a toothy grin while the young man's face once again turned into a deep shade of red.

"Well, he did say to me that he liked collecting such… things." Roy answered, eliciting a loud snort from the Second-Lieutenant.

Riza cleared her throat and all three men quickly set themselves straight in their respective chairs.

"You haven't opened your gifts, Sir," Breda reminded the Colonel.

Roy started with Fuery's gift. He took out from the bag a small whiskey bottle. He whistled as he read the label, "Blue label? This must have cost you a fortune Sergeant-Major."

"You know how easy it is to get stuff from the black market at a decent price when you're in a war zone." Fuery replied with a rueful smile.

"Point taken," he answered. The Colonel changed the subject of the suddenly heavy conversation by opening the parcel box. Inside he found a beautiful hand-crafted silver lighter and a note that accompanied it. Roy chuckled.

"What does it say?" Asked the heavy-set man.

_"Here you go, Chief. This will keep the hot babes at bay now that I'm not around to save the day."_ Roy felt a pang of sorrow as he remembered his subordinate's misfortune when they fought Lust.

"Heh. That's my man!" Breda cried out, trying to once again diffuse the heaviness that threatened to damper the happy reunion.

"I think it's your turn Breda," Fuery said, changing the subject completely.

"Sure! Why not?" He opened the box rather clumsily but was able to get out the contents of the box. He had a dumbfounded look on his face as he stared at the big red cardigan with white trims. "Um, thanks Riza." He said as he began folding back the festive garment. The red-head heard snickering coming from where the Colonel was seating. "Is there something funny, Sir?" He said with a scowl and a matching irked look.

"The cardigan suits you Second-Lieutenant. Now I know who's going to be our Santa when the dust settles down in Central." Roy finished his words with his patented smug smile, a smug smile that gained him a death glare from Breda, and some giggling from both Fuery and the First-Lieutenant. He cleared his throat and looked at his shy subordinate. "Fuery, let's see what you got from the North."

The Sergeant-Major got nervous as always but managed to pry open the box. His eyes brighten when he saw a brand new soldering gun, the 3300 series with an ultra grip and interchangeable tips. "Wow! Now I can fine tune any gadgets better than ever!"

Roy had a happy look on his face but he was now expectantly looking at his ex-First-Lieutenant as she was the last one to open a gift.

Riza moved uncomfortably on her chair. Roy was also her Secret Santa and who knows what the contents on the box in her lap had. She looked around and now Fuery and Breda were also waiting on her to open the box. She sighed and resigned to her fate. Riza pulled out a beautiful little black dress from the box which made Fuery smile and Breda whistle from the impression. Her cheeks and ears suddenly got red, a mixture of mortification and utter embarrassment.

"You're welcome Lieutenant," Roy said with a pleased look on his face. Little did she know, or that any of his ex-subordinates know for that matter, is that he chose to get her that dress because he was going to take her out to a fancy restaurant once everything was over. During the main course he was going to get up from his chair and get on one knee while displaying the brightest, most beautiful ring that will be neatly nestled inside a small black velvet box. It took the Führer's blatant threat against her life for him to realize how much she truly meant for him. He finished with his daydreaming. "Well, I'm sorry to say this but we can't stay here any longer, however, the next time we do this it will be under a new Amestris."

"Hear, hear!" Breda said.

"Aye, aye Sir!" Fuery said.

"Understood Sir," Riza said.

"Dismissed," Roy said.

He was the only one left in the basement. "Merry Christmas to all," he said as he walked up the stairs. Now it was time to have a talk with his foster mother.

* * *

A/N: I think this one was rushed but I wanted to get it out today. (^_^)


	8. ¡Feliz Navidad!

A/N: This is the last drabble of this fic —For this year. It was written with lots of love for you all. XD

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"Hey, what's wrong with Shorty?", Greed asked both chimera who were sitting by the fire, "He's been moping around camp since yesterday and it's really starting to get on my nerves."

Heinkel shifted his gaze from the bonfire to look at the blonde teenager who was sitting far away from the camp grounds. He noticed, that even at a distance, the young man had a sourpuss look— Then it hit him. "Maybe he misses his family," he said to the two men, "I mean it's almost Christmas and he's on the run with two chimeras and a homunculus with delusions of grandeur. I say that's reason enough to turn anyone into a wet blanket. Don't you think?"

"Well whatever it is we need to change it now. My henchmen are always happy henchmen." Greed spat.

The two chimera sent an irked look at the homunculus. "Whatever you say, Greed," both said in unison.

"So what do you propose Almighty One?" Said Darius.

"Christmas jingle, Christmas jingle!" Boomed inside the homunculus head as the Xinguese got excited with the opportunity of participating in one of those Western customs he was so fond of.

"No way! I don't do singing," mumbled the feisty homunculus.

"What was that Greed?" Heikel asked.

"The prince wants us to sing a Christmas jingle. Heh, can you believe this kid?"

The chimera looked at each other then at Greed. "—and why not?" Darius asked.

"Because its unbecoming for a great homunculus such as myself."

"Then let the prince out. I'll bet he'll be great at it," Darius added.

Greed glared at both chimera. He really didn't like the prince to take back the control of his body.

"I promise I will not do anything funny. Pretty please?" Ling said as he fluttered his long lashes.

"Persuasive little bastard," Greed said out loud. He looked once again at the chimera and sighed. "Ok kid, just this once— but I want my body back as soon as you finish whatever it is that you're doing."

"Gotcha!" Ling said with a thumb up that was accompanied by a wide smile.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"What the heck you all want?" Ed barked at the three men.

"Now don't be like that Ed! We've come to sing a song for you!" Ling using his most perky voice.

"Oh it's you, Stupid Prince. So Mr. Magnificent let you come out and play? The blonde replied with a impassive expression in his face.

"Don't be such a brat Edward," Heinkel scolded.

"Yeah were here to get you out that pissy mood you've been lately," Darius added.

"Ed," Ling said, taking charge of the conversation, "I need you to transmute a guitar, a cuatro and some maracas."

"What the hell is a koo-ah-tro, Ling?" Ed sounded angry.

"It's a type of guitar from the islands to the west of Creta— Never mind the cuatro. Can you make two guitars and some maracas?"

Ed stood up and got close to Darius. He made a signal to the chimera to come closer. When Darius bent over, in order to get closer to Ed, he quickly yanked some hairs from the chimera's head.

"What the hell Ed!" He screamed in pain at the short alchemist.

An unfazed Ed walked past Darius and headed towards Heikel. He bent over where empty tin cans laid a grabbed one from the bunch then headed towards the closest tree. With a bored-out-of-his-mind look, the blonde clapped his hands and transmuted the tree, the hairs and the tin can into the instruments that Ling asked for. "There you go, Your Majesty."

"Honestly Ed, you can be so insufferable at times." Ling scolded the blonde as he picked up the instruments.

**oo-OOO-oo**

"This is ridiculous," Ed gritted through clenched teeth.

"This is humiliating," Greed said to the Xinguese prince, a comment that the prince kept to himself.

"Ok. We're set. Darius? Heinkel?" The prince asked with utter excitement.

"We're ready!" They said at the same time.

"Now Ed, I hope this lifts your mood and fills you with Christmas spirit! On one— two— three!" Ling started to strum his guitar as Heikel accompanied him with the other guitar while Darius shaked the maracas.

"¡Feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad— Próspero año y felicidad!" The Xinguese prince sang to the chords of his guitar. "¡Feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad— Próspero año y felicidad!" Ling now gave a visual cue to the chimeras.

"I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas!" The chimeras sang as a duo since it was their turn in the song. "I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas, I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas— From the bottom of my heart!"

Ed, who had been glaring at the trio all this time, started to loosen up with the cheery tune. He grabbed his set of maracas and joined in the fun.

"That's the spirit Ed!" Ling said with a wide grin, "Now to take it up from the start!"

Ed slightly blushed as he was not really used to being in the spotlight but nonetheless he started shaking the maracas with fervor as he prepared to sing. "¡Feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad, feliz Navidad— Próspero año y felicidad!"

**oo-OOO-oo**

All the excitement had dwindled and the group of ragtags now sprawled around the bonfire while laughing about Ling's little stunt.

"I gotta give it to the Kid. He really knows what's he's doing." Greed said with a toothy grin as he looked towards Ed. "So Shorty, feeling better now?"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORTY YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A HOMUNCULUS!" Ed barked back at the homunculus while both chimera held the blonde back.

"It worked", said Heikel with a flat stare.

"Yup, we got our spunky brat back," added Darius.

"Heh. It was about time too because it that wouldn't have worked, there would have been no choice but to beat the snot out of him."

"HEY!" The blonde yelled.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's get some shut eye 'cause we're heading Southeast when the sun comes up." Greed said as he eyed each member of his group.

Ed's eyes flickered just a little because there might be a good chance that he can convince the homunculus to swing by Resembool. He smiled at the thought. Maybe he'll say that his automail is not working properly. It'll be a good chance to see the old hag and maybe, just maybe, he'll be lucky enough to reunite with his brother and also to get a chance to see "her".

He went to sleep and had nice dreams of sunshine and blue skies— And apple pies.

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A/N: I hope you all liked these set of drabbles. Next year I will post the ones I couldn't finish this year. May you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2013! I'll be back with new fics next year, many that will go into fringe science.

BTW the jingle that Ling sang is "Feliz Navidad" by the Puerto Rican singer José Feliciano. It is one of the most recognized Christmas songs from around the world. It goes with a Puerto Rican Cuatro which is a type of guitar from the island.


End file.
